Apparatus for mechanically folding inwardly and cutting an end portion of a length of tubular flexible material

ABSTRACT

An apparatus is provided for mechanically and successively folding over within itself the end portion of a length of tubular flexible material and thereafter severing the doubled tubular portion from the tubular material. The apparatus includes hollow guide means adapted to concentrically receive the flexible tubular material thereabout, folding means for successively folding over within said guide means the end portion of the tubular material, and grasping means for grasping the double portion of tubular material and for longitudinally displacing said material to an axially displaced position wherein cutting means sever the doubled end portion.

D United States Patent 1 1 3,603,488

[72] lnventor Svend Sigurd Christie Fleischer [56] References Cited p s Denmark UNITED STATES PATENTS "P 2,249,968 7/1941 McDonald 223/2 [22] Filed Dec. 4, I969 2,428,943 10/1947 Plummer 223/ Patented Sept. 7, 1971 73] A si nee Gustavsson perm 3,112,847 12/1963 Brumby 223/2 g 3,478,939 11/1969 Denaultetal. 223/38 Boras, Sweden [32] Priority Dec. 12, 1968 Primary Examiner.lordan Franklin [33] Denmark Assistant Examiner-George V. Larkin [31 6066/68 Attorney-Lawrence E. Laubscher [54] APPARATUS FOR MECHANICALLY FOLDING ABSTRACT: An apparatus is provided [for mechanically and [NWARDLY AND CUTTING AN END PORTION OF successivel foldin over within itself the end ortion of a LENGTH OF TUBULAR FLEXIBLE MATERIAL y g p 2 D length of tubular flexible material andthereafter severing the clalmss Flgs' doubled tubular portion from the tubular material. The ap- [52] U.S.Cl 223/37, paratus includes hollow guide means adapted to concentri- 223/40 cally receive the flexible tubular material thereabout, folding [51] Int. Cl A4lh33/00, means for successively folding over witlhin said guide means A4111 43/00 the end portion of the tubular material, and grasping means Field of Search 223138-43, for grasping the double portion of tubular material and for longitudinally displacing said material to an axially displaced position wherein cutting means sever the doubled end portion.

PATENTEU SEP "IIBYI I w Q A 5 er INVENT'OR.

I I l b-TOMM AllPAlllA'llUS lFGllil MECltlANlCAlLLi! FGlLlDllNG llNWAlRDLiI AND ClUT'lllNG AN END lPUlt'llilQhl @lF A LENGTH GE TUBULAR lFLlEXlllBlLlE MA'lllElltlAlL In accordance with the present invention an apparatus has been provided for mechanically and successively folding in upon itself and cutting off the doubled end portion of a length of tubular flexible material. The folding over and cutting of such tubular material were previously done by hand requiring much time and expensive labor.

The primary object of this invention is to provide an apparatus for mechanically and successively forming and severing an inwardly folded portion of a predetermined length from the foremost end of a long tube of flexible material as it passes through the apparatus.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of the type described above having hollow guide means adapted to concentrically receive a tube of flexible material thereabout, pin means supporting the guide means for receiving the tubular flexible material arranged concentrically thereabout, and reciprocatory folding means cooperating with said guide means for forming an inwardly folded portion at the free end of the tubular material.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of the type described above having a reciprocatory intermittently movable grasping means for longitudinally displacing the tubular material relative to the guide means to an axially displaced position, whereupon the doubled end portion of the tubular material is served from tubular material by suitable cutting means.

A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of the above description including pivotable means for laterally displacing the doubled end portion of the tubular material from the axially displaced portion to a cutoff portion relative to the cutting means.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a study of the following specification, when viewed in light of the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of the apparatus in the initial starting position;

Flg. 2 is a side view of the apparatus of FIG. ll;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on line llll-lll of H6. 2 with the apparatus in an intermediate position of manufacture;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on line llll-llll of FIG. 3;

and

Fig. 5 is a detailed view of the guide member.

Referring first more particularly to FIGS. l and 2, the folding and cutting apparatus comprises a rigid supporting frame means 1, pin means 4 and 5 for supporting U-shaped guide means 3 within frame 1 in such a position that guide means 3 is adapted to receive a length of tubular flexible material 2 concentrically thereabout with a given first end portion of the tubular material extending to a given length beyond guide means 3. Supporting pin means 4i and 5 are traversely connected with frame l at such a distance from guide means 3, that the tubu lar material 2 will pass unhindered between guide means 3 and supporting pin means and 5. The weight of guide means 3 is such that the tubular material does not carry it along during its movement between guide means 3 and pin means 4 and 5. The apparatus is further provided with a vertically reciprocable folding means 6 arranged for insertion into guide means 3 to fold the first end portion length into guide means 3 thereby forming the doubled ends portion as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4. The apparatus further includes grasping means comprising a body member 7 having a pair of stationary jaws d and 9 adapted for insertion within guide means 3, and a corresponding pair of movable jaws it and ill pivotably connected with body member 7 by pivot means M and 55, respectively, for movement externally of guide means 3. Movable jaws lit) and ll include integral operating portions 112; and iii respectively that extend toward each other and are connected with operating means 23 by pin means lb for opening and closing movable jaws lid and ll. When body member '7 is moved from the position shown in FIG. 1 to the position shown in FIG. 3, the stationary jaws and 9 are moved into the doubled end portion of tubular material 2 on either side thereof and within guide member 3, while the movable jaws l0 and ll are moved to a position outside the doubled end portion of tubular material 2. Thereafter, folding means 6 is moved back to the position shown in FlG. l by operating means 2t, and jaws 1t) and ll of body member 7 are pivoted by operating means to seize the doubled end portion of tubular material 2 in cooperation with stationary jaws 8 and 9. Thereupon body member 7 is moved back to the position shown in FIG. 1 by operating means 22, carrying with it the doubled portion of tubular material 2 plus an additional length of material corresponding to the amount necessary to form a subsequent doubled end portion. The jaws are opened by operating means 23, thereby releasing the doubled portion of the tubular material.

The apparatus is also equipped with a cutting means for cutting off the doubled end portion of tubular material 2, said cutting means including a stationary shear blade 17 secured to frame 1, a movable shear blade 18 pivotably connected with frame 11 by pin means 18a and operating means 24 pivotably connected with movable shear blade 18 by pin means 18); for moving shear blade 13 relative to stationary shear blade ll7. Positioning means 20 is pivotably connected with frame 1 by pin means l9 and operates through operating means 25 to laterally displace the doubled end portion of tubular material 2 towards a cutoff position relative to the shear blades wherein the doubled portion is cut off.

In the embodiment of the apparatus shown, the shears are located in such a manner that the movable shear blade operates in a plane parallel to the forward movement of tubular material 2. The cutting means may also be arranged in such a manner that the movable shear blade operates in a plane perpendicular to the forward movement of tubular material 2 with the stationary blade arranged accordingly, whereby the doubled portion may be severed when the tubular material is in the axially displaced position, thereby eliminating the necessity of positioning means 2t). Other equivalent cutting means may be used in place of the embodiment illustrated.

Body member 7 is vertically displaced by the operating means 22., and the movable jaws i l and 1111 are pivotally operable by operating means 24, and pivotal movement of positioning member 2% is achieved by means of the vertically reciprocable operator 25. Operating means 211, 22, 23', 243 and 25 may be connected for timed operation by means of suitable cranlts, cam means, or by other pneumatic, hydraulic or magnetic means (not illustrated). While the apparatus is illustrated as having a vertical arrangement, also be arranged for horizontal operation, if desired.

While in accordance with the provisions of the Patent Statutes the preferred forms and embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without deviating from the inventive concept.

ll claim:

ll. Apparatus for mechanically folding over within itself the end portion of a length of tubular flexible material and for cutting off said doubled portion of material, comprising:

a. frame means;

b. hollow guide means;

c. pins means supporting said guide means within said frame for receiving said tubular flexible material concentrically thereabout with a given first end portion of the tubular material extending to a given length beyond said guide means;

d. folding means arranged for insertion into said guide means to fold said first end portion length into said guide means, thereby forming said tubular doubled portion;

. grasping means for displacing said tubular material longitudinally of said guide means toward an axially displaced position; and

f. cutting means for severing from said tubular material the said doubled end portion.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said hollow guide means contains a pair of opposed openings extending inwardly from this free extremity;

and further wherein said grasping means comprises a body member including a pair of stationary jaws arranged for insertion within said hollow guide means opposite said opposed openings, respectively; a pair of movable jaws pivotally connected with said body member for movement externally of said guide means, said movable jaws each including integral operating portions that extend toward each other for cooperation with said stationary jaws, respectively; and operating means connected with said integral operating portions for opening and closing said movable jaws relative to said stationary jaws, thereby to grasp said double material portion.

3. Apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein said cutting means comprises a stationary shear blade secured to said frame, a movable shear blade pivotally connected with said frame, and means for pivoting said movable blade relative to said stationary shear blade to sever said doubled portion of tu bular material when in said axially displaced position.

4. Apparatus as described in claim 3, wherein said movable shear blade is pivotally connected with said frame for movement in a plane parallel with the movement of said tubular material relative to said hollow guide means, and further including material displacing means pivotally connected with said frame for laterally displacing said doubled portion of tubular material relative to said guide means toward a cutoff position relative to said shear blades. 

1. Apparatus for mechanically folding over within itself the end portion of a length of tubular flexible material and for cutting off said doubled portion of material, comprising: a. frame means; b. hollow guide means; c. pins means supporting said guide means within said frame for receiving said tubular flexible material concentrically thereabout with a given first end portion of the tubular material extending to a given length beyond said guide means; d. folding means arranged for insertion into said guide means to fold said first end portion length into said guide means, thereby forming said tubular doubled portion; e. grasping means for displacing said tubular material longitudinally of said guide means toward an axially displaced position; and f. cutting means for severing from said tubular material the said doubled end portion.
 2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said hollow guide means contains a pair of opposed openings extending inwardly from this free extremity; and further wherein said grasping means comprises a body member including a pair of stationary jaws arranged for insertion within said hollow guide means opposite said opposed openings, respectively; a pair of movable jaws pivotally connected with said body member for movement externally of said guide means, said movable jaws each including integral operating portions that extend toward each other for cooperation with said stationary jaws, respectively; and operating means connected with said integral operating portions for opening and closing said movable jaws relative to said stationary jaws, thereby to grasp said double material portion.
 3. Apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein said cutting means comprises a stationary shear blade secured to said frame, a movable shear blade pivotally connected with said frame, and means for pivoting said movable blade relative to said stationary shear blade to sever said doubled portion of tubular material when in said axially displaced position.
 4. Apparatus as described in claim 3, wherein said movable shear blade is pivotally connected with said frame for movement in a plane parallel with the movement of said tubular material relative to said hollow guide means, and further including material displacing means pivotally connected with said frame for laterally displacing said doubled portion of tubular material relative to said guide means toward a cutoff position relative to said shear blades. 